Serious Wife Stabbing Case.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1054, 28 March 1882, Page 2

Serious Wife Stabbing Case.

A serious case of stabbing occurred at Aramoho, Wanganui, early on Thursday morning last. A man named Reuben Bason was walking with his wife and abusing her, when, either by accident or design, a knife he was flourishing in his hand struck her in the abdomen, inflicting a wound 2| inches long, from which the intestines protruded. Medical aid was obtained, and it was found that the intestines were not cut. They were replaced, and some hope is entertained of the woman’s recovery. Bason has been apprehended. He is a well known character, and has served several terms in gaol for ill-treating his wife. The depositions of the wounded woman, Mrs. Bason, were taken late in the afternoon. She states most positively that the wound inflicted upon her was not the result of accident, but intentionally.

Considerable indignation has been aroused by the discovery of the action of Russia in connection with Afghanistan. It has been ascertained that the Russian Government has despatched Commissioners te Ayoub Khan, for the purpose of inciting him to m'ake another attempt on Kabul, with the object of dethroning the Ameer Abdurrahman. General Skobeloff has delivered a speech on the Central Arfian question. He regarded the fears entertained in England at the progress of Russia in Central Asia as mere humbug, asserting that there was room in Asia for both powers, and that the idea of a Russian invasion of India was absurd, such a project being quite impracticable and out of the question. The sentence of eight years’ penal servitude passed upon Sergeant Mason for shooting at Guiteau, the assassin of President Garfield, bus caused a widespread feeling of indignation throughout the United States. The State Congress of Ohio, where President Garfield was born, has passed a resolution denouncing the sentence on the ground of its severity, and has applied to the Supreme Court for it® reversal.

The Wanganui Herald mentions the following instance of genuine good luck; — Among the exhibits at the late Wanganui Exhibition was a large piece of ambergris weighing about 121bs. This had been found by Mr Allen Campbell, of the Brunswick Line, on the Kai Iwi beach. Not knowing it® value, he kept it at home for some years, but afterwards sent it Homo through the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. A sale was effected in London at the rate of £4 per oz., a sum of nearly £BOO being realised for what was considered of little or no value.

Jem Mace gave an impromptu public exhibition of his skill in the art of attack and defence without weapons recently in Wellington. While strolling along one of the thoroughfares of the city, shortly before midnight, he noticed a small but excited crowd standing opposite an oyster saloon. One of the men present was endeavouring te make peace between others, with the by no means uncommon result that he himself was drawn into the quarrel. As three of his companions made a simultaneous attack upon him Mace, who had been standing a little way off, quickly stepped up, and three scientific taps from him were then sufficient to settle the matter. It was not until after he was gone that the luckless wights realised who it was that had interposed and discomfitted them.

The shorthand reporters of Sydney, New South Wales, having been found fault with for the method of reporting the speeches in the Legislative Council, retaliated by giving the speech of one of the Council exactly as it was spoken as follows : —“ The reporters — ought—not to—the reporters ought not to be the ones to judge of what is important. As I—as my speeches —os the reports —as what I say is reported sometimes, no one—nobody can understand from the reports —what it is —what I mean. So—it strikes me—it ha® struck me certain matter® —things that appear of importance—are sometimes left out —omitted. The Reporters—the papers—points are reported—l mean—to make a brief statement —what the paper thinks of interest —is reported.”

The fame of Jem Mace’s pugilistic prowess has penetrated even to Maoridom, and has created both surprise and admiration. To-day a party of 50 natives arrived in town for the express purpose of seeing the great fighting rangatira and having procured the services of an interpreter proceeded to his hotel in order to interview him. The redoubtable Jem allowed himself to be put on exhibition and submitted goodhumouredly to have his muscles examined aud athletic limbs surveyed by the delighted Maoris, feeling himself quite recompensed for this act of condecension by their emphatic “ kapais” and prolonged “ awe-a e’s.” The deputation promised their patronage for the performance to-morrow night, and then spent some time in pressing the pugilist to visit their various settlements, but on this point they could not get a decisive answer.